Core Professional Skills - Grad Edition

Skills in this category

• Assessing your knowledge, values, and interests to identify potential paths.
• Building an online professional presence (LinkedIn, personal site).
• Building professional relationships and networks.
• Researching jobs and internships in your field.
• Preparing job-application documents (CV, resume, cover letter).
• Translating academic skills for diverse audiences.
• Interviewing and negotiating offers.
• Understanding visa and work requirements (for international students).

On-campus resources

• Career Center. 1:1s with the Graduate Student Career Specialist; GradSuccess workshops; Indeed JSA.
• GradSuccess / GSRC. IDP advising; Career Pathways Weeks.
• ISS. Authoritative office for CPT/OPT and visa-related career questions.

Recommended online courses

• LinkedIn Learning: “Writing a Resume” · “Writing a Cover Letter” · “Rock Your LinkedIn Profile” · “Mastering Common Interview Questions” · “Salary Negotiation Tips.”
• Coursera: “Career Brand Management”.

Skills in this category

• Scholarly and professional writing in your field.
• Managing complex writing projects.
• Public speaking and formal presentations.
• Visual communication (figures, posters, decks).
• Communicating with diverse, non-specialist audiences.
• Communicating across multiple platforms (LinkedIn, X, podcasts).

On-campus resources

• Graduate Writing Center. 1:1 consultations, workshops, support for non-native English speakers.
• Grad Slam. Three-minute research-talk competition; the best public-speaking practice on campus.
• Department colloquia. Volunteer to present early and often.

Recommended online courses

• LinkedIn Learning: “Communication Foundations” · “Communicating with Confidence” · “Public Speaking Foundations” · “Writing in Plain Language” · “Technical Writing.”
• Coursera: “Foundations of Strategic Communications” · “Storytelling”.

Skills in this category

• Time management and realistic goal-setting.
• Maintaining progress toward goals.
• Navigating your program’s requirements and expectations.
• Balancing academic & research work with the rest of your life.
• Personal health, wellness, and financial planning.
• Developing healthy boundaries and self-advocacy.

On-campus resources

• GSRC. Workshops on wellness and self-development; Weekly Resource Drop-In Hours.
• Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). Free mental-health support for grad students.
• Basic Needs. If anything in life is squeezing what you can do in school, start here.

Recommended online courses

• LinkedIn Learning: “Time Management Fundamentals” · “Building Resilience” · “Strengthening Your Habits.”
• Coursera: “The Science of Well-Being” · “Learning How to Learn”.

Skills in this category

• Managing projects (scope, deadlines, team coordination).
• Obtaining funding (grants, fellowships).
• Managing budgets in research or professional settings.
• Leading event planning or initiatives.
• Leading and working in diverse teams.
• Resolving interpersonal conflict.
• Managing mentor & mentee relationships.

On-campus resources

• Graduate Writing Center. Fellowship-application writing support.
• GSA & student orgs. The fastest way to practice leadership and event planning.
• Mentorship Network. Structured mentoring at UCR.

Recommended online courses

• LinkedIn Learning: “Leadership Foundations” · “Project Management Foundations” · “Leading with Emotional Intelligence” · “Strategic Thinking.”
• Coursera: “Researcher Management and Leadership Training”.

Skills in this category

• Creating an inclusive classroom for diverse learners.
• Applying evidence-based pedagogical methods.
• Designing courses, learning goals, and assessments.
• Training and mentoring junior researchers.
• Using instructional technology effectively.
• Developing a teaching philosophy.

On-campus resources

• TADP (Teaching Assistant Development Program). UCR’s primary teaching development.
• GSRC University Teaching Certificate. Structured program toward formal credentialing.
• Career Pathways Week: Teaching. Spring-quarter programming.

Recommended online courses

• LinkedIn Learning: “Coaching and Developing Employees” · “Measuring Learning Effectiveness” · “Being a Good Mentor” · “Developing a Mentoring Program.”
• Coursera: “Foundations of Teaching for Learning” · “Digital Storytelling”.

Skills in this category

• Accessing and assessing literature in your discipline.
• Developing command of your field’s existing knowledge.
• Familiarity with interdisciplinary approaches.
• Research design and methods mastery.
• Effective research collaboration.
• Upholding ethical norms and responsible conduct of research.

On-campus resources

• Your advisor & lab. The primary place these are built, and the relationships that document them.
• UCR Library. Research help, training, and discovery tools.

Recommended online courses

• LinkedIn Learning: “Critical Thinking” · “Critical Thinking and Problem Solving” · “Learning Data Analytics.”
• Coursera: “Understanding Research Methods” · “Qualitative Research Design”.

Practical tip

Take a quick self-inventory once per year. The categories you’ve actively built are also the bullets on your CV and resume, every advance in these skills is something you can name.